MUMBAI: The state has lodged cases against seven private and charitable hospitals in the court for the reuse of catheters meant for one time use after sterilizing them as well as charging multiple patients for the same. The courts issued summons to the accused in all seven cases, minister of state (FDA) Madan Yerawar told the state council on Tuesday.

The FDA in April last year had revealed the findings of an inquiry on the use of balloon catheters and guiding catheters by 8 hospitals between March and May 2017.

The FDA was inquiring into charges that the hospitals were reusing these although the label said they were meant for one-time use. The FDA officials said the devices, after single use, were sent to the pharmacy for charging on the in-patient bill. Later, these devices were sent to the central sterile supply department where they were sterilized using ethylene oxide.

“We reused catheters only for poor patients and didn’t charge them. There are hundreds of references that state that catheters can be reused till it works well,” said Charu Apte, chairman of Sahyadri group of Hospitals.

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